Book Reviews and Random Thoughts

Stories of the Raksura

Four stories of the Raksura are collected in this volume. Most of these stories tie in some way to the events of the main trilogy (The Cloud Roads, The Serpent Sea, The Siren Depths), but they can all stand alone, though certainly they’ll have more meaning in the context of the trilogy.

The Falling World – The first story is a novella about Moon after Jade has gone missing when traveling to a neighboring court. It’s long enough to be a good look at the place where they now live, and toss a few surprises in to boot.

The Tale of Indigo and Cloud – The second novella, and another strong piece. This expands an event briefly mentioned in the trilogy—that of a queen, Indigo, stealing a consort, Cloud, from a neighboring court. The political ramifications of the act ripple throughout the Reaches, and somehow Cerise, the ruling queen, must figure out a way through without bringing war down on their heads.

The Forest Boy – A short story about Moon when he was young. This was available for free on Martha Well’s website (might still be) which is where I read it first, so it wasn’t new to me, but I still appreciate being able to have it in print.

Adaptation – A short story about Chime turning from mentor to warrior. This was also available on the website.

Overall this is definitely worth a read for fans of the Raksura, and it has enough variety to introduce the species to those who many not have read the trilogy yet (though some spoilers will show up, mostly in The Falling World). I rate this book Recommended.